Millimeter-level flexible catheter endoscope with integrally designed imaging structure

Abstract

The invention relates to the field of flexible catheter endoscope structure design, and discloses a millimeter-level flexible catheter endoscope with an integrally designed imaging structure, which comprises a push-pull structure, the push-pull structure designs an outer shell and an outer hard tube into a detachable external whole body, and the other internal structures are designed into another detachable internal whole body. And the internal whole smoothly moves along the axis of the external whole through the connection of the sliding rail and the manual power of the push-pull rod. The flexible catheter endoscope has two degrees of freedom, telescoping is controlled through a manual push-pull rod, bending is controlled through cooperation of a knob and gear and rack transmission, the bending angle can reach 180 degrees, high-precision telescoping and bending adjustment of the flexible catheter can be achieved, catheter tail end work pieces (a lens, a clamp and the like) can accurately reach the target position, and compared with existing domestic and foreign products, the flexible catheter endoscope has the advantages of being simple in structure and convenient to use. The operation flexibility is greatly improved, and a more accurate and efficient solution is provided for detection, diagnosis and operation in a complex cavity.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of flexible catheter endoscope structure design, specifically a millimeter-scale flexible catheter endoscope with integrated imaging structure design. Background Technology

[0002] In the field of modern medicine, the demand for precise detection, diagnosis, and treatment of internal cavities and organs of the human body is increasing. Diseases of luminal organs such as the digestive tract, respiratory tract, and blood vessels are frequent, and because the lesions are hidden in the internal environment and difficult to access, accurate diagnosis and treatment are quite challenging. Taking digestive tract cancer as an example, the number of patients with this disease is huge, and endoscopic biopsy is the "gold standard" for clinical diagnosis, which makes the demand for endoscopic diagnosis and treatment increasing day by day. Tumor formation and development are often accompanied by lesion angiogenesis and abnormal tissue proliferation. Accurate identification of the morphology of lesion blood vessels and the degree of subcutaneous infiltration is crucial for disease diagnosis and surgical planning. Against this background, various endoscopic technologies have emerged and developed rapidly.

[0003] In the current field of narrow cavity detection, optical sensing and CT scanning are the main methods used. However, due to limited space, insufficient lighting, and tortuous paths, visual detection methods are difficult to become mainstream. This invention proposes a vision-based cavity detection robot structure. It can achieve visual detection of tortuous and narrow cavities using its own light source, lens, and flexible catheter, reducing the difficulty and cost of cavity detection. Considering portability, this invention is designed as a detachable handheld structure, which has the advantages of being lightweight and having a disposable, hygienic lens. Summary of the Invention

[0004] Technical problems to be solved To address the shortcomings of existing technologies, this invention provides a millimeter-scale flexible catheter endoscope with an integrated imaging structure, which solves the problems of high difficulty and cost in cavity exploration using existing endoscopes.

[0005] (II) Technical Solution To achieve the above objectives, the present invention provides the following technical solution: a millimeter-level flexible catheter endoscope with an integrated imaging structure, comprising a push-pull structure, wherein the outer shell and outer rigid tube are designed as a detachable external integral, and the remaining internal structure is designed as another detachable internal integral. The internal integral can be smoothly moved along the axis of the external integral by manual power via a slide rail connection and a push-pull rod. An outer tube fixing bracket and an inner tube fixing bracket are provided to maintain the stability of its push-pull movement, thereby fulfilling the telescopic requirements of the imaging catheter; a bending tube transmission system, wherein the bending tube transmission system... The imaging conduit is controlled by a combination of knobs and rack and pinion transmission. The imaging conduit is a concentric push-pull tube structure, with two tubes, one inside and one outside, fixed together at their ends and having cuts in opposite directions, working in a concentric manner. Pushing or pulling one of the tubes achieves bending in one degree of freedom. The inner tube is used as the active tube, thus fulfilling the bending requirements of the imaging conduit. The optical path system integrates the light source, light cone, and heat dissipation device inside the body, and the miniature lens and illumination fiber are bundled at the end of the imaging conduit. This minimizes the installation of the complete imaging system within the mechanism, achieving the integration of imaging and structure.

[0006] Preferably, the flexible catheter endoscope has the following basic parameters: length of approximately 220 mm and maximum diameter of approximately 70 mm; it has two degrees of freedom and a bending angle of up to 180°; it has dual channels for aspirating fluid, performing biopsies, etc.; the outer diameter of the imaging catheter is approximately 1.2 mm; the resolution is not less than 700*700p; and the imaging speed is 30 frames per second.

[0007] Preferably, in the bending tube transmission system, the bending operation of the imaging catheter is precisely controlled by rotating a knob to drive the movement of a gear rack.

[0008] Preferably, in the optical path system, the heat dissipation device is used to dissipate heat when the light source is working, ensuring stable operation of the system, and the light cone is used to realize optical path transmission and adaptation, and to complete the imaging function in conjunction with the light source, miniature lens and illumination fiber.

[0009] Preferably, in the push-pull structure, the detachable connection between the outer and inner components facilitates the assembly, maintenance, and component replacement of the equipment. The slide rail provides guidance and support for the movement of the inner component, and the push-pull rod generates power through manual operation to drive the inner component to move relative to the outer component, thereby achieving stable extension and retraction of the imaging catheter.

[0010] Preferably, the dual channels include channel one and channel two, which can be used with different tools such as balloon guidewires, flexible forceps, and fluid aspiration guidewires to assist users in completing operations such as detection, diagnosis, and surgery.

[0011] (III) Beneficial Effects Compared with the prior art, the present invention provides a millimeter-scale flexible catheter endoscope with an integrated imaging structure design, which has the following advantages: 1. This flexible catheter endoscope has two degrees of freedom. It controls extension and retraction via a manual push-pull rod and bend via a knob and rack and pinion transmission. The bending angle can reach 180°, enabling high-precision extension, retraction and bending adjustment of the flexible catheter. This allows the catheter end working parts (lens, clamps, etc.) to accurately reach the target position. Compared with existing domestic and foreign products, it greatly improves the operational flexibility and provides a more accurate and efficient solution for detection, diagnosis and surgery in complex cavities.

[0012] 2. This flexible catheter endoscope has multiple channels inside the rigid tube. In addition to the imaging catheter, it can be used with various instruments such as balloon guidewires, flexible forceps, and fluid aspiration guidewires. It supports diverse operations such as fluid aspiration and biopsy. The multi-channel design meets the needs of different medical scenarios and realizes the integration of multiple tasks such as detection, diagnosis, and surgery, which significantly expands the application scope and medical functions of the product.

[0013] 3. The flexible actuator at the front end of this flexible catheter endoscope is designed for single use, avoiding the risk of cross-infection from repeated use. It eliminates the need for cumbersome and repeated disinfection procedures, which not only ensures the medical safety of patients but also saves medical staff operating time and simplifies the usage process, making the use of the endoscope more convenient, safe and reliable, especially suitable for medical environments with extremely high hygiene requirements.

[0014] 4. This flexible catheter endoscope is a portable structure that is handheld, manually operated, and detachable in multiple sections. It is approximately 220mm long and has a maximum diameter of approximately 70mm. Its compact and lightweight design makes it easy for medical staff to operate by hand. It can also be flexibly disassembled and assembled, making it convenient to carry and transport. It can easily handle various scenarios, including routine hospital treatment, mobile healthcare, and emergency rescue, thus improving the applicability and ease of use of the product.

[0015] 5. This flexible catheter endoscope adopts an optical path imaging system design that integrates the light source, light cone, and heat dissipation inside the body, and bundles the miniature lens and illumination fiber at the end of the imaging catheter, realizing the integration of imaging and structure. The product resolution is not less than 700*700p, and the imaging speed is 30 frames per second, which can provide clear and stable images, providing strong support for doctors to accurately observe the internal condition of the cavity and make accurate diagnosis and treatment decisions. Attached Figure Description

[0016] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of a millimeter-scale flexible catheter endoscope with an integrated imaging structure design proposed in this invention. Figure 2 This is a cross-sectional schematic diagram of the housing of a millimeter-scale flexible catheter endoscope with an integrated imaging structure design proposed in this invention. Figure 3This is a schematic diagram of the internal structure of a millimeter-scale flexible catheter endoscope with an integrated imaging structure design proposed in this invention. Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the fixture for a millimeter-scale flexible catheter endoscope with an integrated imaging structure design proposed in this invention; Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the channel structure of a millimeter-scale flexible catheter endoscope with an integrated imaging structure design proposed in this invention. Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the optical path system of a millimeter-scale flexible catheter endoscope with an integrated imaging structure proposed in this invention.

[0017] In the diagram: 1. Push-pull structure; 2. Bending tube transmission system; 3. Outer shell; 4. Optical path system; 5. Outer rigid tube; 6. Overall external structure; 7. Push-pull rod; 8. Slide rail; 9. Overall internal structure; 10. Knob; 11. Gear and rack; 12. Push-pull tube outer tube fixing bracket; 13. Push-pull tube inner tube fixing bracket; 14. Heat dissipation device; 15. Light cone; 16. Light source; 17. Imaging guide tube; 18. Channel 1; 19. Channel 2. Detailed Implementation

[0018] The technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of the present invention, and not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0019] Please see Figure 1-6A millimeter-scale flexible catheter endoscope with an integrated imaging structure includes a push-pull structure 1. The push-pull structure 1 integrates the outer shell 3 and the outer rigid tube 5 into a detachable external unit 6, while the remaining internal structure is designed as another detachable internal unit 9. The internal unit 9 is smoothly moved along the axis of the outer unit 6 by manual power via a slide rail 8 and a push-pull rod 7. An outer tube fixing bracket 12 and an inner tube fixing bracket 13 are provided to maintain the stability of its push-pull movement, thereby fulfilling the telescopic requirements of the imaging catheter 17. A bending tube transmission system 2 is also included, which uses a knob 10 and a gear rack. 11. The imaging conduit 17 is a concentric push-pull tube structure. The inner and outer tubes are fixed together at their ends and have cuts in opposite directions. Pushing or pulling one of the tubes achieves bending in one degree of freedom. The inner tube is used as the active tube to achieve the bending requirement of the imaging conduit 17. The optical path system 4 integrates the light source 16, the light cone 15 and the heat dissipation device 14 inside the body. The miniature lens and the illumination fiber are bundled at the end of the imaging conduit 17. This minimizes the installation of the complete imaging system in the mechanism and achieves the integration of imaging and structure.

[0020] In this embodiment, the push-pull structure 1 serves as the core transmission part of the endoscope. The outer shell 3 and the outer rigid tube 5 are designed as a detachable external unit 6, while the remaining internal structures form another detachable internal unit 9. The two are stably connected by a slide rail 8, which provides precise guidance and reliable support for the movement of the internal unit 9. In actual operation, medical staff only need to operate the push-pull rod 7 and apply force manually. The internal unit 9 can then move along the axis of the outer unit 6 under the guidance of the slide rail 8. To ensure the stability of the telescopic movement of the imaging catheter 17, a push-pull tube outer tube fixing bracket 12 and a push-pull tube inner tube fixing bracket 13 are specially provided. These two brackets are made of a combination of high-strength engineering plastic and metal, which has good rigidity and toughness. The outer tube fixing bracket 12 of the push-pull tube securely fixes the outer tube of the imaging catheter 17 to prevent it from shifting or shaking during the extension and retraction process; the inner tube fixing bracket 13 of the push-pull tube positions the inner tube to ensure that the inner tube can move along the predetermined track during the push-pull process. Through this design, the imaging catheter 17 can achieve stable and precise extension and retraction according to different operating depth requirements, providing a strong guarantee for deep penetration into different parts of the human body for detection and surgical operations.

[0021] The bending tube transmission system 2 endows the endoscope with excellent flexibility and adaptability. The imaging catheter 17 adopts a concentric push-pull tube structure, which is composed of two tubes with their ends fixed together and opposite incisions. During operation, medical staff turn the knob 10, which converts the rotational motion into linear motion through the gear and rack transmission mechanism 11, thereby controlling the push and pull of the inner tube. When the inner tube is pulled, the imaging catheter 17 will bend in one degree of freedom because the ends of the inner and outer tubes are fixed and there are opposite incisions. Through bidirectional control and combined with the two-degree-of-freedom design, the imaging catheter 17 can achieve a bending angle of up to 180°. This flexible bending performance allows the endoscope to penetrate into various complex parts and angles in the body, providing doctors with a clear and comprehensive view, which greatly improves the accuracy and success rate of diagnosis and surgery.

[0022] The optical path system 4 is crucial for achieving clear imaging with the endoscope. Inside the device, the light source 16, the light cone 15, and the heat dissipation device 14 are highly integrated. The light source 16 provides sufficient and uniform illumination. After the light is generated, it is transmitted and adapted through the light cone 15. The light cone 15 is made of special optical materials, and its unique conical structure can effectively converge and adjust the light, so that the light is uniformly coupled into the illumination fiber. The illumination fiber is bundled at the end of the imaging conduit 17, transmitting the light to the detection site and illuminating the tiny lesion area. The reflected light from the detection site is transmitted in the reverse direction along the original path. After being captured and optically processed by the miniature lens, a clear image is formed. To ensure the stability of the light source 16 during long-term operation, the heat dissipation device 14 plays an important role. It adopts a high-efficiency heat sink to dissipate the heat generated by the light source 16 quickly, ensuring that the light source 16 is always within the optimal operating temperature range, thereby ensuring the stable operation of the entire imaging system. The endoscope has an imaging resolution of no less than 700*700p and an imaging speed of 30 frames per second, which can provide doctors with clear and smooth real-time images, facilitating accurate diagnosis of the condition.

[0023] This flexible catheter endoscope excels in both size and performance, measuring approximately 220mm in length and 70mm in maximum diameter. Its compact size allows for easy insertion into the human body for procedures. The imaging catheter 17 has an outer diameter of only about 1.2mm, a design that significantly reduces damage to human tissues, improving patient comfort and safety. It features two degrees of freedom, with a bending angle of up to 180°, and combined with flexible telescopic functionality, it can adapt to various complex human anatomical structures. The product has dual channels, namely Channel 18 and Channel 29, which can be used with different tools such as balloon guidewires, flexible forceps, and fluid aspiration guidewires. With the imaging catheter 17 providing a clear field of vision, medical staff can use these tools to perform various operations such as fluid aspiration, biopsy, and tissue sampling, achieving one-stop medical services including detection, diagnosis, and surgery, greatly improving medical efficiency and treatment outcomes.

[0024] Furthermore, the flexible actuator at the front end of the product adopts a disposable design. This innovative design completely avoids the risk of cross-infection that may be caused by repeated use. Medical staff no longer need to perform cumbersome disinfection procedures, making it more convenient, safe, and reliable to use. This not only saves time and labor costs but also provides stronger protection for patients' health. At the same time, the detachable connection between the external integral 6 and the internal integral 9 in the push-pull structure makes the assembly, maintenance, and component replacement of the equipment very convenient. When the equipment malfunctions or needs to replace parts, medical staff can quickly disassemble and install it, greatly shortening the equipment's maintenance time, improving the equipment's efficiency, and reducing maintenance costs.

[0025] Working principle: When the endoscope is working, the external assembly 2, consisting of the outer shell 3 and the outer rigid tube 5, and the internal assembly 9 containing the imaging conduit 17, are connected by a slide rail 8. By operating the push-pull rod 7 and manually applying force, guided by the slide rail 8, the internal assembly 9 moves smoothly along the axis of the external assembly 2, realizing the extension and retraction of the imaging conduit 17 to meet different operating depth requirements. The imaging conduit 17 has a concentric push-pull tube structure (the ends of the inner and outer tubes are fixed and have opposite cuts). Rotating the knob 10, through the gear and rack 11, converts the rotational motion into linear motion to control the push and pull of the inner tube (active tube). Combined with the two-degree-of-freedom design, the imaging conduit 17 can bend up to 180°, flexibly penetrating into different parts and angles of the body. In the optical path system 4, the light source 16 emits light, which is transmitted and adapted by the light cone 15. The light is transmitted to the microlens at the end of the imaging conduit 17 via the illumination fiber to illuminate the detection area. The reflected light is then transmitted in the opposite direction to form an image. The heat dissipation device 14 dissipates heat from the light source 16 to ensure stability, achieving clear imaging (resolution ≥700*700p). (30 frames per second); dual channels (channel 18 and channel 29) can be connected to tools such as balloon guidewires, and can cooperate to complete operations such as fluid aspiration under the field of view provided by imaging catheter 17. The front flexible actuator is designed in one piece to avoid cross-infection and eliminate the need for cumbersome disinfection. All parts work together to realize medical operations such as detection, diagnosis and surgery.

[0026] It should be noted that, in this document, relational terms such as "first" and "second" are used merely to distinguish one entity or operation from another, and do not necessarily require or imply any such actual relationship or order between these entities or operations. Furthermore, the terms "comprising," "including," or any other variations thereof are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion, such that a process, method, article, or apparatus that comprises a list of elements includes not only those elements but also other elements not expressly listed, or elements inherent to such a process, method, article, or apparatus. Without further limitations, an element defined by the phrase "comprising one..." does not exclude the presence of other identical elements in the process, method, article, or apparatus that includes said element.

Claims

1. A millimeter-scale flexible catheter endoscope with an integrated imaging structure, characterized in that: include The push-pull structure (1) designs the outer shell (3) and the outer rigid tube (5) as a detachable external whole (6), and the remaining internal structure is designed as another detachable internal whole (9). The internal whole (9) is smoothly moved along the axis of the outer whole (6) by the manual power of the push-pull rod (7) connected by the slide rail (8). The push-pull tube outer tube fixing bracket (12) and the push-pull tube inner tube fixing bracket (13) are provided to maintain the stability of its push-pull movement, so as to realize the extension and retraction requirements of the imaging catheter (17). The bending tube transmission system (2) controls the imaging conduit (17) through the transmission combination of the knob (10) and the gear rack (11). The imaging conduit (17) is a concentric push-pull tube structure. The inner and outer tubes are fixed together at the ends and have cuts in opposite directions. Pushing and pulling one of the tubes realizes bending in one degree of freedom. The inner tube is used as the active tube, thereby realizing the bending requirements of the imaging conduit (17). The optical path system (4) integrates the light source (16), light cone (15) and heat dissipation device (14) inside the body, and the miniature lens and illumination fiber are bundled at the end of the imaging guide tube (17), so that the complete imaging system is minimized and installed in the mechanism, realizing the integration of imaging and structure.

2. The millimeter-scale flexible catheter endoscope with integrated imaging structure design according to claim 1, characterized in that: The flexible catheter endoscope has the following basic parameters: length of about 220 mm and maximum diameter of about 70 mm; it has two degrees of freedom and a bending angle of up to 180°; it has dual channels for aspirating fluid, performing biopsies, etc.; and the imaging catheter (17) has an outer diameter of about 1.2 mm. Resolution no less than 700*700p; imaging speed 30 frames per second.

3. The millimeter-scale flexible catheter endoscope with integrated imaging structure design according to claim 2, characterized in that: The flexible actuator at the front end of the product adopts a disposable design to avoid cross-infection that may be caused by repeated use. It does not require repeated disinfection and is more convenient, safe and reliable to use.

4. The millimeter-scale flexible catheter endoscope with integrated imaging structure design according to claim 3, characterized in that: In the bending tube transmission system (2), the rotation of the knob (10) drives the gear rack (11) to move, thereby precisely controlling the bending operation of the imaging tube (17).

5. The millimeter-scale flexible catheter endoscope with integrated imaging structure design according to claim 4, characterized in that: In the optical path system (4), the heat dissipation device (14) is used to dissipate heat when the light source (16) is working, so as to ensure the stable operation of the system. The light cone (15) is used to realize optical path transmission and adaptation, and works with the light source (16), miniature lens and illumination fiber to complete the imaging function.

6. The millimeter-scale flexible catheter endoscope with integrated imaging structure design according to claim 1, characterized in that: In the push-pull structure (1), the detachable connection between the outer integral (6) and the inner integral (9) facilitates the assembly, maintenance and replacement of parts of the equipment. The slide rail (8) provides guidance and support for the movement of the inner integral (9). The push-pull rod (7) generates power through manual operation, driving the inner integral (9) to move relative to the outer integral (6), thereby realizing the stable extension and retraction of the imaging catheter (17).

7. The millimeter-scale flexible catheter endoscope with integrated imaging structure design according to claim 2, characterized in that: The dual channels include channel one (18) and channel two (19), which can be used with different tools such as balloon guidewires, flexible forceps, and fluid aspiration guidewires to assist users in completing operations such as detection, diagnosis, and surgery.

Images